Methods, Systems, and Computer Readable Media for Applying or Overriding Preferred Locality Criteria in Processing Network Function (nf) Discovery Requests

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the NFDiscover request includes receiving the NFDiscover request including a preferred-locality attribute set by the NF and wherein prioritizing the NF profiles includes overriding the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NF with the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein overriding the preferred-locality attribute set by the NF with the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF includes overriding the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NF with a preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF that indicates a locality of the NRF or a nearest locality to the locality of the NRF.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein overriding the preferred-locality attribute set by the NF with the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF includes overriding the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NF with a preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF that is configured by a network operator.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein overriding the preferred-locality attribute set by the NF with the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF includes overriding the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NF with a preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF that indicates a nearest locality to a locality of the NRF with at least one heart-beating producer NF capable of providing the service indicated by the query parameters in the NFDiscover request.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the NFDiscover request includes receiving an inter-public land mobile network (PLMN) NFDiscover request or an intra-PLMN NFDiscover request.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the NFDiscover request includes a preferred-locality attribute set by the NF and wherein, in prioritizing the NF profiles, the NF profiles manager is configured to override the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NF with the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF indicates a locality of the NRF or a nearest locality to the locality of the NRF.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF comprises a network-operator-configured preferred locality attribute.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the preferred-locality attribute selected by the NRF indicates a nearest locality to a locality of the NRF with at least one heart-beating producer NF capable of providing the service indicated by the query parameters in the NFDiscover request.